Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

INTRODUCTION.

" O ^Egypte, Mgypte .... sola? supererunt fabulse, et aeque incredibiles
posteris .... solaque supererunt verba lapidibus incisa. Et inhabitant
iEgyptum Scythus, aut Indus, aut aliquis talis."—Lat. traml. of Mercur.
Trismegistus1 Dialogue with Anclepius.

It may be generally observed that the first people
who arrived at an advanced state in the arts of
civilization were early encouragers of agriculture,
and. possessed countries whose riches consisted in
the produce of the soil. And that independent of
the general taste for industry which is necessarily-
matured in a well-cultivated country, the number
of its inhabitants speedily increases, and opulence
and power succeed in proportion as their condition
is improved.

But the state of the hunter and of the shepherd
differ widely from the agriculturist. In the former
the wants of each member of society depend entirely
upon his individual exertions; and since no time
can be spared for industrious employment at home,
civilization can make little or no progress, and arts
remain totally unknown. The shepherd indeed
possesses some advantages over the hunter, but still
he has neither the means nor the inclination to arise